Add Tennessee to the list of schools trying out the wildcat formation. It might be a shock to some to see Derek Dooley trying it out, with the new Tennessee head coach being seen as more of a traditionalist when it comes to coaching. But he does have an excuse ready for that one.

“I would say the Wildcat is grandfather school, not old,” Dooley said after practice Thursday morning. “It’s the Notre Dame shift, it’s the single wing. That’s what they ran back in the ’20s and ’30s and that kind of deal."

And what does His Hairness like about the Wildcat?

“Here’s what I like about it, and I like a lot of things,” Dooley said. “I think the key to the Wildcat is not making it your bread and butter. Once it becomes where you don’t know what you are on offense, it becomes a problem. But what it is good for, if it’s five to eight plays a game, first of all it’s eight less plays of a quarterback. Let’s start with that. So you’ve got 70 plays in a game, now the guy’s got 60. So you’re taking away eight plays of decision-making from him, which helps.“No. 2, you’re creating more work for the defense, they’re going to have to put in and work on a Wildcat package. No. 3, it gives you a chance to get some of your better skill guys the ball in space. Those three things, it’s good. . . . The more you run, the better the quarterback, the less decisions he’s got to make. Then, I’m just a little old school. I just believe that’s what wins.”

Of course with Kentucky as a rival, Tennessee is sure to come up with some home-spun name lying somewhere between cuteness and lameness for their brand of the wildcat. It will probably be something like "Wild-Vol," or "Wild-hound." Though don't expect for it to be called the "Wild Boys" formation, however. Derek Dooley's probably going to be staying away from that term for some reason.

Add Tennessee to the list of schools trying out the wildcat formation. It might be a shock to some to see Derek Dooley trying it out, with the new Tennessee head coach being seen as more of a traditionalist when it comes to coaching. But he does have an excuse ready for that one.

“I would say the Wildcat is grandfather school, not old,” Dooley said after practice Thursday morning. “It’s the Notre Dame shift, it’s the single wing. That’s what they ran back in the ’20s and ’30s and that kind of deal."

And what does His Hairness like about the Wildcat?

“Here’s what I like about it, and I like a lot of things,” Dooley said. “I think the key to the Wildcat is not making it your bread and butter. Once it becomes where you don’t know what you are on offense, it becomes a problem. But what it is good for, if it’s five to eight plays a game, first of all it’s eight less plays of a quarterback. Let’s start with that. So you’ve got 70 plays in a game, now the guy’s got 60. So you’re taking away eight plays of decision-making from him, which helps.“No. 2, you’re creating more work for the defense, they’re going to have to put in and work on a Wildcat package. No. 3, it gives you a chance to get some of your better skill guys the ball in space. Those three things, it’s good. . . . The more you run, the better the quarterback, the less decisions he’s got to make. Then, I’m just a little old school. I just believe that’s what wins.”

Of course with Kentucky as a rival, Tennessee is sure to come up with some home-spun name lying somewhere between cuteness and lameness for their brand of the wildcat. It will probably be something like "Wild-Vol," or "Wild-hound." Though don't expect for it to be called the "Wild Boys" formation, however. Derek Dooley's probably going to be staying away from that term for some reason.